Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 10:47:31 EDT
From: Gryffindor6698@aol.com
Subject: The Fifth Power - Chapter One
The following is a complete work of fiction.
Any resemblance between the characters and any real life person is
completely coincidental. Please do not copy or distribute the story
without the author's permission.
Disclaimer:
The following story may contain erotic situations between consenting
adults. If it is illegal for you to read this please leave now.
If you enjoy this story please check out my other stories, City Of Dreams
and Center Stage. They can be found under the Adult Friends section in the
Nifty Archive or at my Yahoo! Group
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Gryffindor6698@aol.com Please remember to include something about the story
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This was unable to be edited. Please disregard any errors.
"When you come to the edge of all the light you have known, and are about
to step out into darkness, Faith is knowing one of two things will happen
-- there will be something to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly."
~Anonymous
A warm, caressing breeze drifted through the quiet, deserted cemetery. A
lone figure stood on a hill beneath a mighty oak tree. The figure did not
look down at the numerous graves that were spread out before him, but
instead kept a steady watch on the sun as it set in sky before him. He
thought that by not acknowledging the graves that maybe that would make
everything different. That maybe tomorrow he would wake up and his mother
and brother would still be alive.
The man faced a major decision in his life, and he was unsure of what to
do. Before he could turn to the people that meant the most to him and ask
their opinion. Unfortunately that was no longer an option. They were
ripped from his grasp. Never again would he be able to gaze into the
loving, caring eyes of his mother. Never again could he bask in the
happiness of his brother's smile. For one brief moment he allowed his eyes
to drift down and gaze upon the two new headstones that were placed in the
cemetery earlier that day.
The man was barely able to hold his emotions in check. It took every ounce
of the remaining strength he had left in his body. He tore his gaze from
the ground and once again stared straight ahead into the burst of vibrant
colors that exploded across the darkening sky. He stood in awe of one of
mother nature's most beautiful creations. He contemplated his situation as
he watched the fiery ball sink slowly below the horizon.
As the first pin points of light began to appear in the velvety sky he
realized that the sunset reflected his current situation to a degree. He
could look at things in one of two ways. It could be a beginning or an
ending. The sun setting represented both of these things. As the light
began to fade it brought about the end of a day. It allowed people the
opportunity to reflect on the things they experienced.
The sunset also represented a beginning. As the last vestiges of light
disappeared in the distance it marked the coming of the night. The
darkness wrapped around everything it touched. Almost in a calming and
soothing manner depending on how you looked at it. It allowed you to rest
and rejuvenate your body and soul. It gave you the opportunity to prepare
for what the future, the next day, might hold for you.
The man took one last longing look at where his family was now laid to
rest. It did not matter that he could barely see the headstones. Their
positions would forever be burned into his memory. He decided, with a
courage he did not believe he had, that this would mark a beginning, not an
ending. His family would not him to wallow in the self-pity and sadness
that currently filled his heart.
They would want him to look forward to the future. To pick up the pieces
of his life and attempt to put them back together again. The pieces would
depict a different picture of course, but it would be the picture of his
future. The man had made his decision.
That is one of the constants in human life. Choices. No matter what type
of hand fate deals us, there is always the ability to choose. We don't
always get the options or choices that we want, but then if we did that
would make life perfect. Unfortunately we do not live in a perfect world,
but of course realizing this does not make our choices any easier.
The man said his final good byes and began his journey out of the cemetery.
This truly would be a final good bye. He did not plan on returning here
again. He knew that his family's bodies might be buried in the ground
here, but their spirit no longer remained.
Besides his decision would be taking him away from the town he grew up in.
He would be traveling to the other side of the country and would be taking
his first steps into his future, a future that he had been destined towards
since birth. He was unaware of this seemingly important fact, but his fate
would soon be revealed to him.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The turbulence that Flight 698 experienced was horrible enough for season
fliers, but for Mateo Sanders it was pure torture. It felt as if an unseen
being was striking the plane with a mountain-sized hammer. The plane
pitched and rolled back and forth a few times. Mateo attempted to take
deep calming breaths. He was afraid that the substance they served for
lunch, since it could hardly be called food, would be revisiting him very
soon.
The taste of it was bad enough the first time, and his stomach lurched even
at the thought of it coming back for an encore performance. He felt a hand
pat his knee. He turned and looked into the smiling, aged face of the
elderly woman who sat beside him.
"Is this your first time flying sugar?" Mateo nodded and attempted to
smile at the kind woman. "Well don't you worry your pretty little head, ya
hear me? I've been flying ever since before you were born and I'm going to
be eighty-eight in September. The main thing you got to remember is to try
and relax."
"Thank you ma'am. I'm trying to relax the best that I can." The plane
gave another sudden lurch. "I just wish this damn thing would stop jerking
around."
"I'd think a boy you're age would enjoy the jerking around." Mateo turned
to look at the woman with a slight blush on his surprised face. "Now now
boy. Don't be looking at me like that. Just cause I am old doesn't mean I
still don't know a thing or two. I know I still got it when I can make a
cutie like you blush. My name is Georgia by the way. And you are?"
"Mateo." He answered. He reached out and shook the woman's outstretched
hand. "But my friends call me Mat."
Georgia gave him a wink.
"Mat it is then sugar." Georgia looked down at her watch and checked the
time. "It seems that we've got about an hour before we land. Why don't
you tell me about yourself Mat? Where are you from? Where are you going?
You visiting family?"
At the mention of the word family Mat's smile tightened a bit, and he
turned to look out the window. Georgia saw the reaction and became a bit
concerned. The boy seemed like a good kid, and she didn't mean to bring up
any unwanted memories.
"Are you ok sugar?" Georgia asked as she patted his knee again. "I'm
sorry Mat. I didn't mean to bring up..."
Mat turned to look at her and shook his head.
"It's not your fault Georgia." Mat gave her a small smile and patted her
hand in return. "I lost what family I had to a drunk driver a week ago.
It's still tough to think about. One minute they're there and then the
next minute they're gone."
"I know just what you mean. I lost my dear William," Georgia said as she
blessed herself. "About 10 years ago. May his soul rest in peace. Well at
least until I get there."
Georgia's laugh was loud and boisterous. It echoed through the small
confines of the plane's cabin. A few people gave her disapproving stares,
but most just chuckled at the eccentric old woman. Mat was grateful that
his seat was next to Georgia's. She was going to make his first flight a
memorable one.
'Maybe things won't be so bad after all. I hope the landing isn't as bad
as the take off.' Mat thought.
"Landings are much easier than take offs Hun." Georgia said with a
mysterious smile. Mat looked at her with surprise on his face. "I could
tell by the look on your face that something was bothering you. Since this
is your first flight I guessed that you had to be thinking about the
landing."
"I thought for a second you were reading my mind." Mat said with a
chuckle. "I was beginning to think I was sitting with a member of the
Psychic Friends Network."
'If he only knew just how close to the truth he is.' Georgia thought as she
chuckled along with Mat.
Mat let out a huge yawn. Georgia smiled at him.
"Why don't you take a nap Mat, and I'll wake you up after we land sugar."
Mat nodded his head in acceptance and leaned back into his seat. Sleep was
overtaking him very quickly. He obviously hadn't been sleeping very well
with everything that happened in the past few days. He felt safe with
Georgia though. He was able to drift off and for the first time in over a
week he was not plagued by nightmares. Before Mat knew it he felt someone
shaking him. He groggily opened one eye and saw Georgia standing up in
front of him.
"Rise and shine sweetie. You slept right through the landing. It's time
to get off the plane." Mat stood up and stretched his long, taut body.
"I'm surprised you didn't wake up sugar. That was one of the worst
landings I've ever been through."
"It's a good thing I slept through it then." Mat said with a grin. "If it
was anything like the take off then I would have definitely lost what was
left of that pretend lunch they served."
Mat walked along side Georgia as they disembarked from the plane. They
walked along together and chatted like old friends as they picked up their
luggage. They walked out of the airport and stood waiting to grab a taxi.
Mat extended his hand to Georgia to say good-bye, but she surprised him and
pulled him into a big hug.
"Good things are coming your way Mat. I can feel it." Georgia whispered in
his ear. "Don't you lose faith. Hang in there and things will turn out
all right. I promise. You take care of yourself boy, ya hear?"
"Yes ma'am I will." Mat said with a huge grin. The first one he had in a
long time. "Thank you for everything."
Georgia waved away his comment as she made her way to the waiting taxi.
Mat waved to her and she winked back. He wished her all the best as well.
She definitely was a sweet woman. Mat took the next taxi and gave the
driver the downtown address that he had. The driver seemed impressed.
"You're going to The Institute?" The man asked as he looked at Mat in the
rearview mirror.
"Yes. I was offered a job there after I got my degree in business
management." Mat said with a nod.
"I'll make sure we get there right away sir."
Mat relaxed back against the seat. He looked at the driver curiously. Was
it his imagination or was there a sudden sound of respect in the driver's
voice? Mat shrugged his shoulders unconsciously and gazed out the window.
The city beckoned to him in the distance. He felt that he should have been
nervous, but a sudden feeling of calm wrapped around him. Mat was looking
out at his future and wondering what it held. It was only a matter of time
before he found out.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Mateo stood next the building and set his bags down. The Institute's
building was massive. It had to be at least one hundred stories tall. The
entire structure was covered in mirrored glass. It was definitely a sight
to behold. Mat gazed a critical eye in the reflection that was shown to
him. His spiked midnight black hair accented the contours of his boyish
face.
He looked unblinkingly into his own gray eyes. Mat's eyes roamed down over
his broad, muscular frame. He wasn't fond of sports in high school, but
his brother was a star athlete. Mat spent many an afternoon lifting
weights in their basement. It was a time of bonding that he would always
cherish. Mat always felt closest to his brother at those times. Just two
guys working out together and bullshitting.
Mat adjusted his clothing and bent down to retrieve his bags. The time had
finally come. He took a deep breath and headed towards the entrance of the
building. There was a doorman waiting to open the door for him, but he
wasn't dressed in your typical doorman's uniform. The man was in an
immaculate black suit. As mat approached the man opened the door
gracefully.
"Good afternoon sir. Welcome to The Institute." The man said with a
pleasant smile.
"Good afternoon. Thank you." Mat responded with a smile and nod of his
head.
If the outside of the building had Mat in awe, the interior certainly took
his breath away. Monochromatic tile covered the entire lobby's floor.
There was soft instrumental music playing throughout the lobby. It had a
very peaceful and soothing sound to it. There was an expansive fountain in
the center of the lobby. The center column of water had to rise at least
thirty feet in the air.
Two lounge areas were found off either side of the beautiful fountain.
Black leather chairs and couches, that looked so comfortable Mat was sure
he would fall asleep just looking at them, were set up around low tables.
Past the fountain there were two areas. To his left he saw a polished
mahogany desk that seemed to wrap around the back of the lobby. A bank of
elevators was the other area of interest. There was a man and a woman,
both in suits, standing in the center of the area. Mat assumed that they
had to be security.
Mat walked towards the woman that was stationed behind the desk, and the
two 'security' guards didn't give him a second glance. He approached the
woman, but she spoke before he could say anything.
"Good afternoon Mr. Sanders. Welcome to The Institute. I'm glad to see
you arrived on time." She smiled at Mat's questioning stare. "Dr. Gilinea
is expecting you. Please take one of the elevators to the top floor. His
office is down the hall on your right."
"Thank you." Mat responded. He couldn't keep the confusion he felt out of
his voice. "How did you know my name?"
The woman smiled at him again.
"Dr. Gilinea can answer all your questions sir. Have a good afternoon."
Mat nodded to her and walked towards the elevators. As he approached the
bank of elevators one of them slid open soundlessly. Mat stepped on and
adjusted his hold on his bags so he could hit the top floor. He could
barely feel any movement as the elevator car whisked up the shaft. It only
took a matter of seconds before a melodic tone sounded in the car and the
doors slide open. The floor had an open inviting quality to it. Two
entire sides of the floor were entirely floor to ceiling glass. The
scenery was absolutely breathtaking. Out of one side you could see the
entire spread out before you. The other had a spectacular view of the
mountains in the background.
Mat walked forward towards the receptionist's desk. A man in his early
twenties was seated behind the desk and talking on the phone. As Mat
stepped up to the desk the man placed the call on hold.
"Good afternoon Mat. My name is Paul. If you head down the hallway to the
right you will find Dr. Gilinea's office. You can leave your bags here
with me."
"Could you please tell me why everyone seems to know who I am?" Mat asked
trying to keep the exasperation he was feeling out of his voice.
"You'll find out soon enough." Paul said with a chuckle. "Go on. You
don't want to keep your future waiting."
Mat looked at Paul with a raised eyebrow, a question on the edge of his
lips. Before he could ask what Paul had meant the man was already back on
the phone. Mat shrugged and headed down the hallway. His stomach was tied
up in knots. Was he doing the right thing? Mat stopped in front of a
large set of double doors. This was the moment in his life when everything
would change.
Once he walked through these doors he could never go back. This was just a
job, but for some reason it felt like something so much more to Mat. He
was about to find out that this was going to be much more than a job. His
hand reached out and wrapped around the doorknob. Mat took a deep breath,
opened the door and stepped inside the office.
As Mat stepped into the office a handsome man stood up from behind a desk.
Mat guessed him to be somewhere in his late thirties or early forties. He
was definitely an attractive man. Dr. Gilinea had the look of a football
player even though he couldn't have played on a school team in a long time.
He had short cut blonde hair and very bright green eyes.
"Hi. You must be Mateo. I'm Joseph Gilinea." He said with an
outstretched hand. "It's wonderful to finally meet you in person."
"It's nice to meet you too Dr. Gilinea." Mat answered as he shook the
offered hand. "Could you please tell me how everyone knows who I am? It's
a little unnerving."
"Take a seat Mat, and please call me Joe." He motioned to one of the
chairs. "Or you could call me Doc. I get that a lot too."
"Does everyone do that here? Is covered in orientation or something?" Mat
sarcastically asked as he sat down.
"You mean avoiding that particular question?" Joe asked. Mat nodded his
head. "To be honest it is actually something covered in orientation. It's
up to me or Kristen to talk to our new hires about the company."
"Who's Kristen?" Mat asked.
"You've already met her Mat, but we'll get to that in a moment." Joe said
with an intriguing smile. "Do you know what PSI stands for?"
"Para psychological psychic phenomena or powers." Mat said with an
exasperated nod. "Look I'm sorry, but I didn't realize that I should have
brushed up on my vocabulary before I showed up today."
"You didn't graduate the top in your class for nothing Mat." Joe said with
a grin. "Do you believe in the existence of PSI?"
"Are you asking me if I believe in people being able to read minds and shit
like that?" Mat asked. Joe nodded wordlessly.
Mat sat back and regarded Joe silently. He was starting to feel that this
was a huge mistake. Mat couldn't believe he traveled practically across
the country to listen to this bullshit. He took one last look at Joe and
stood up.
"I think maybe I should go." Joe stood up at as well and curiously looked
at Mat. "I'm sorry to have wasted your time Dr. Gilinea, but I don't think
it was a good idea from me to come here."
Mat turned to go towards the door, but the sound of Joe's voice stopped
him.
"Could you do me at least one favor before you leave Mat?" Mat turned
around and regarded Joe. "Could you at least meet my partner Kristen
Samara before you go?"
"Sure. I could do that. I've come this far I might as well meet one more
person before I go." Mat said as he sat back down.
"Paul, could you please ask Kristen to come in here please." Joe said as
he pushed a button on his desk. After a few minutes there was a knock at
the door. "Come in."
Mat turned around to look at this Kristen Samara. He already decided that
no matter what type of scam they were trying to pull here he was not going
to call for it. After this quick little meeting he was out of here. Mat
would figure out what to do later. Right now his main concern was getting
the hell out of here, but all that changed when the door opened. His mouth
dropped open in shock.
"Georgia!" Mat exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"It's ok sugar. Calm down." Georgia walked up to him and patted him
gently on the face. "I don't know how to break this to you, but my name's
not Georgia."
Mat watched her as she walked over and stood next to Joe's desk. What does
she mean she isn't Georgia? If her name wasn't Georgia then who the hell
was she? It suddenly dawned on him. This must be Kristen Samara. She
must have been put on the plane to make sure he got here! Obviously they
were scared he would hear rumors of this PSI thing and wouldn't show up.
"I'm sorry for the charade Mat." Georgia said. "But it was important that
I do this. Otherwise you might not have believed us."
"This is Kristen Samara." Joe said as he placed a hand on Kristen's
shoulder. She turned and smiled at him. "She is one of the most talented
or should I say powerful people at The Institute. It's very rare for
someone to reach such potential at the early age of thirty."
Mat looked back and forth at them for a moment. Suddenly it occurred to
Mat what Joe just said. Mat couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips.
"Are you going to use your PSI powers now to make me believe that she is
really thirty years old?" Mat asked sarcastically. "If anything this will
be interesting. She doesn't look a day under eighty."
"I don't have to make you believe anything Mat." Kristen said. There was
a huge smile on her face and a slight twinkle in her eye. "I'll just let
you make the decision on your own."
Mat opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it again. He was
looking at Kristen and there was some type of shimmer of air around her.
That was the easiest way to describe it. The air around her seemed to have
a tangible quality to it. What seemed to take an infinite amount of time
really only took a mere second.
One moment he was looking at the kindly grandmother-like Georgia, and in
the next second he was looking at an entirely different woman. Kristen was
a breath-taking woman. She was tall and her black hair cascaded down her
back. Kristen had her hands on her hips, and her melodic laughter drifted
through the room. He was sure he was laughing at the look on his face.
"Three hundred dollars for a plane ticket, five dollars for the stomach
medicine needed after eating the lunch on the flight," Kristen said as she
counted the items off on her fingers. "The look on your face right now
after all of that. Priceless."
Mat finally regained his senses and he leapt up from his chair. It fell
backwards to the floor with a clatter.
"What the hell is going on here?" Mat's voice started to rise with the
fear that now filled him. "Is this some type of joke or something? Am I on
some kind of hidden camera show?"
Mat spun around looking everywhere to find the supposed hidden camera that
he was sure had to be there. Joe and Kristen looked at him with shock.
They certainly expected him to be surprised, but they never expected this
type of reaction.
"Please calm down Mat. Sit back down." Kristen said in a soothing voice.
She took a step towards him, but he stepped back. "It's ok. You can sit
over there if you want to."
As soon as the words left her mouth the chair Mat had knocked backwards
suddenly up righted. Before Mat could even open his mouth the chair slid
across the room and stopped right in front of him. He regarded them both
before gingerly sitting down in the chair. His hands gripped the arms.
Mat was afraid that in any second the chair would be suddenly moving again.
"So you mentioned something about PSI before?" Mat asked in an even tone.
"Do you believe in PSI now Mat?" Kristen asked as she sat herself on the
edge of Joe's desk. Mat nodded. "I'm truly sorry that we had to show you
this way, but sometimes people need to actually see PSI in action before
they will allow themselves to believe it."
"Don't be sorry ma'am." Mat said with a small smile. "Obviously I needed
some convincing. Let me say that what you just did definitely convinced
me. You were the one that moved the chair right?"
"Don't call me ma'am. I'll feel old." Kristen said with a laugh. "Please
call me Kristen, and to answer your question, yes I moved the chair."
"So what does any of this have to do with me?" Mat asked.
"First let me give you some background about what we are talking about."
Joe said. He moved around his desk and sat down in next to Mat. "Is that
ok?"
Mat nodded his head.
"About twelve years ago I was teaching psychology at one of the local
universities here. Part of the class covered a chapter on ESP. I always
enjoyed it when we got this section. You see when I was younger I
discovered that I had some unusual talents. Around the age of eight I
started to hear voices and have these funny feelings. It took me about a
year before I realized that I was actually hearing the thoughts of the
people around me, and with that I was experiencing their emotions and
feelings. I kept this all to myself. Who would have believed me? The
other problem was if they did believe me. Who knows what would have
happened to me. Then when I turned twenty-one it seemed my full powers or
abilities broke through. My telepathic and empathic skills were enhanced
ten fold. I also found I had the ability to move objects with my mind."
"You're telekinetic?" Mat asked. Joe nodded his head. "What exactly
encompasses the telepathic and empathic abilities?"
"Let me finish and I am sure all of your questions will be answered." Joe
said with a smile. "Over the following years I tried to find other people
that had the same abilities, but I never found any. That is one of the
reasons why I was happy to be teaching. I was able to talk about ESP and
conduct basic experiments and try to find others like myself. The first
few years I turned up completely empty, but then finally I hit the jackpot.
There was a young, beautiful girl that showed up in my class that year.
The experiment was very simple. I had four cards that had shapes on them.
There was a circle, a square, a rectangle, and a triangle. I passed out
the same four cards to the entire class. I had everyone stand up and told
them they were to read my mind and figure out which card I was holding. If
they got it wrong they had to sit down. Normally when I did this
experiment the entire class was sitting down by the third or fourth card.
Like I said before this year was going to be my first big break. The
entire class was sitting down except for one girl. We kept going through
the experiment. Out of the hundred times we went through the cards, she
got it right every single time."
Mat looked at Kristen and she was smiling.
"It was you wasn't it?" He asked her. She nodded her head. Joe continued
on with his story.
"There were some people in the class that thought this was all staged. I
had one girl come down and had her write down any word she wanted on a
piece of paper. The class had Kristen leave the room so there was no way
she could have possibly figured out what the girl was writing. The girl
didn't even let me see it. She was afraid I would prompt Kristen. After a
few minutes Kristen came back in. As soon as she got to her seat she
looked the girl right in the eye and said 'lickety split'. Let me tell you
the girl about passed out. She showed the room the paper. I knew that
Kristen got it right. I never doubted for a moment she would be wrong."
"So what happened next?" Mat asked. His interest was definitely peaked.
"Over the next few weeks Kristen and I met and discussed our experiences.
We discovered that she was a fourth power."
"A fourth power?" Mat asked.
"We've discovered that all psi-humans fall within four different levels or
powers." Kristen explained. "You'll get all that information at The Manor
though."
"The Manor?" Mat questioned.
"The Manor is where all of the newest members of The Institute go to live
while they learn how to control and use their powers." Joe responded.
"That is where we will be taking you once we are done meeting here."
"So you mean to tell me that I am one of these psi things?" Mat asked.
"Psi-human." Kristen said correcting him. "That is exactly what we are
telling you Mat."
Mat shook his head in disbelief. He had to admit to himself that this was
all really intriguing, but he couldn't believe that he had any special
power. If he did why hasn't he felt or done anything by now?
"Men normally don't receive their abilities until they turn eighteen.
Women receive theirs at the age of sixteen." Kristen said with a smile.
"I'm sorry Mat. We normally don't delve into someone's mind without
permission, but you're thinking so hard I couldn't help but hear your
thoughts."
"Well I hate to break it to you both, but I will be twenty one in a few
days. So I can't be psi-human, otherwise I would have already gotten my
abilities. Right?" Mat asked as he looked back and forth between the two
of them.
"You have a valid point Mat, but there is an explanation to why you haven't
received your abilities yet." Joe said. Mat looked at him questioningly.
"There was a block placed on your abilities. It's not normally done, but
it seems that once you turn twenty one you will start to see signs of your
powers."
"Who would even know enough about this psi think to place a 'block' on me?"
Mat asked as he used his fingers to quote the word.
Joe and Kristen exchanged an uneasy look. Kristen stepped over to Mat and
knelt down next to him. She placed her hands on his knees. Mat
immediately felt a feeling of calm and security wrap around him.
"Your mother put the block in place Mat."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
An hour later Mat was seated comfortably in the back seat of a jeep headed
out of the city. The car was heading towards the mountains in the
distance. Thoughts raced through Mat's head at a million miles per hour.
There was just so much information for him to digest. He thought coming
here was a way to escape his past and look towards the future. How wrong
he was.
Mat certainly didn't expect his past to come up, but he was quickly
learning to expect the unexpected. One thing that Mat learned was that psi
powers were normally genetic and passed down through a family's
generations, but it was quite normal for a person to be the first in a
family to show signs of the abilities.
It was not difficult to understand why his mother placed the 'block' on
him. She obviously being the protective person that she always is. Mat
shook his head as the thought crossed his mind.
'The person that she was.' Mat thought correcting himself.
Finding out that his mother and his brother possessed these abilities
helped explained some things to Mat. It explained how his mother always
seemed to know what he was up to. Mothers always know what their children
are up to, but Mat's mom always knew everything. It also explained why he
always felt so much love and caring from both of them. They obviously were
able to project their emotions or emotions in general.
Kristen did that to him in Joe's office, that sense of calm and comfort
that enfolded him. She admitted that to him before he had left. He also
realized that she must have done that on the plane when she was disguised
as Georgia.
As the minutes of the trip ticked by Mat soon began to get a bit excited.
Isn't every child's dream at some point to have super powers? He hoped that
this might start to fill the void of his family's passing. He remembered
Kristen commenting on the fact that there were five powers total.
Mat was very curious to find to find out what power level he would be. He
definitely had something to look forward to on his birthday now. He was
curious about how it would happen. Would everything just come at once or
would things develop little by little? Mat would find out in three days
for certain.
Mat was taken away from his thoughts as he felt the jeep begin to slow
down. A massive stonewall was running along side the right side of the
road. The driver pulled into the driveway and Mat stared at the huge iron
gates that were before him. A giant M was on each gate. The driver leaned
out and pressed a button that was on the intercom. The intercom let out a
melodic sound and the gates noiselessly began to open. The driver turned
and glanced back at Mat.
"Welcome home."
As the jeep started slowly up the driveway Mat's eyes tried to take in
everything at once. They were driving through a lush forest. He could
barely make out a few deer running through the trees. Everything was
beautiful. The forest seemed to end suddenly. His eyes widened as The
Manor came into the view. It was almost impossible to describe. One of
his first thoughts was that it resembled Humewood Castle. He had seen the
castle during a class trip in college. Mat almost swore that this building
was very close to an exact replica.
The jeep slowed to a stop in front of the main entrance way. As he was
unloading his luggage from the back of the jeep he saw Kristen walk out of
the doors. She walked down the steps and drew him into a hug.
"Did your trip out go well?" She asked.
"It was relaxing. It definitely gave me a lot of time to think." Mat
responded. "How did you get out here before me?"
"I flew out in one of our helicopters. Only takes about twenty minutes
that way, but we didn't want you to miss out on the drive in. The first
time seeing The Manor is always an experience to remember."
"It definitely is." Mat said as he looked up at the building that
surrounded him.
"Let's head inside and get you settled in."
Kristen led him up the stairway and through the main doors. The inside was
just as beautiful as the outside. Kristen pointed out different areas to
him as they walked up the main stairway. At the landing the stairs
branched off to the left and the right.
"The west wing is contains the women's dormitories, and the men occupy the
east side." Kristen said as she directed him up the east staircase.
"That's rather old-fashioned don't you think? Segregating the men and the
women?" Mat said with a laugh.
"When The Manor was first open that was how things were run. You know the
old saying. If it's not broke, don't fix it." Kristen said with a
chuckle.
Mat was led down a long winding corridor and was finally led into what
would be his room from now on. It was an open, airy room that Mat liked
immediately. Kristen pointed out that the room, well suite actually, had
it's own bathroom and living area. There were two bedrooms actually and
each contained two beds. Kristen saw the questioning look on Mat's face.
"Obviously there will be three other people rooming with you. I hope
that's not a problem. We always try and get the members of a class to be
together as much as possible. It helps them bond together, and it helps in
the learning process."
"Class? What do you mean class?"
"We consider each new group of people that join The Institute a class. You
will be taking classes and going through training. So it will be like
going to school all over again."
"How long before I graduate?" Mat asked with a grin.
"It takes the average person about a year to have the correct control over
their powers. Some people take longer, and of course some people take a
shorter amount of time. The people here are wonderful Mat. I'm sure you'll
love it here. Your other roommates will be here in about a week. So you
have time to relax and explore the grounds until then."
"That's cool." Mat said with a smile. "My birthday will have passed by
then and hopefully the block will be gone. I'm anxious to see what powers
I will have."
"I can't wait either." Kristen said as she patted him on the shoulder.
"I'm going to get going so you can unpack. If you need anything at all
just concentrate on my name as hard as you can. If you concentrate hard
enough I'll be able to pick it up and I'll send you a message so you know
I'm on my way."
"What type of message?" Mat asked.
'This type of message.' Mat heard Kristen's voice in his head.
"That was totally wicked!" He exclaimed with a grin. "I can't wait for
classes to start."
"We'll definitely have lots of fun. I'll see you soon. Meet me back here
in your room around six and we can have dinner together. Okay?" Kristen
said as she headed out the door.
"No problem." Mat replied.
It took Mat about an hour to get all of his clothes unpacked and put away.
Mat looked out of one of the bedroom windows. The view was spectacular.
This side of the building looked over a very large lake. The mountains
could still be seen in the distance, but they didn't appear as far off as
they did at The Institute.
Mat didn't do much exploring of the grounds that day. He was feeling
exhausted. He flew in that morning, had that huge meeting with Joe and
Kristen, and now moved into The Manor. As Mat watched the sun setting
behind the mountains he knew in his heart that he made the right decision.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Mat spent the next few days wandering around and getting himself familiar
with everything. It was definitely going to be a while before he was able
to navigate all of the corridors without getting a bit lost. The Manor, if
anything, was massive. Mat's birthday was rapidly approaching, and that
made him as nervous as a cat in a dog pound. He knew that the block would
be lifted, and that in itself worried him. Would he be able to handle
whatever powers were within him? Mat's roommates would be arriving soon as
well. He never had to share a room before with one person, let alone
three. Hope filled him and he prayed everything would turn out all right.
Kristen and Joe showed up together in his room the night before his
birthday. They sat in the living room area and just chatted about the last
few days. Kristen and Joe wanted to make sure that Mat was settling in
well and adjusting. Before they left Joe broached the subject that was
surely on Mat's mind.
"It's most likely you might have some weird dreams tonight Mat." Joe said
as they walked towards the suite's door. "Most men have full control over
their powers by the time they reach your age. So there is the possibility
that you might wake up tomorrow with complete control over yours, but there
is the other possibility that you won't come to the full strength of your
power for a few months. It might even take a few years. We've honestly
never had someone that was blocked this long. So it will be an adventure
for all of us."
As Mat closed the door behind him he heard a familiar voice in his head.
'Goodnight Mat. Sweet dreams.'
He wasn't sure if she would hear or not, but he thought it anyway.
'Goodnight Kristen.'
Mat took a shower and lay down in his bed. He didn't bother getting
dressed. Sleeping in the nude was normal for him. Mat figured he might as
well enjoy it now because he wasn't sure what his roommates would be like.
Nervousness and excitement rushed through Mat's body as he waited for sleep
to claim him. Tomorrow would definitely be a brand new beginning.
Exhaustion finally claimed Mat and he drifted off to sleep.
Mat fully expected to have all kind of weird dreams or nightmares, but he
slept peacefully through the entire night. In fact he woke up the next
morning very refreshed. Mat wasn't normally a morning person, and it took
him forever to get motivated to get out of bed. The morning of his
birthday was a completely different manner. One moment he was in deep
sleep and the next moment he was wide awake. Try as he might, Mat couldn't
back to sleep.
Mat got out of bed and stretched the last bits of sleep out of his naked
body. He ran his hands over the light, soft black hair the covered his
chest. Mat wasn't a very hairy guy, but he had a nice coating of fur over
his chest, arms, legs, and ass. Mat headed into the bathroom and relieved
himself. He brushed his teeth and turned on the water in the huge
freestanding shower. As he waited for the water to get to the right
temperature Mat looked as his reflection in the full-length mirror that
hung on the bathroom door.
He used to be very self-conscious about the way he looked. For a long time
he was not happy with his body image, but after working out for a few years
with his brother Mat's body developed very nicely. His broad shoulders
tapered down his V-shaped chest to a tight, firm stomach and waist. Mat's
legs were strong and powerful from running track in high school. He was
also happy with the area between his legs which was slightly larger than
average. As Mat stepped into the shower he could see the reflection of his
muscular, bubble butt.
The hot water cascaded down his body. Mat could feel all of his muscles
relax from the warmth. He shampooed his short hair and began to clean the
rest of his body. Somewhere in the middle of the washing, Mat wasn't sure
exactly when it happened, his hands began to do just more than wash
himself.
A chill ran down his spine as his soap covered hands gently passed over his
nipples. His fingers ran up around his neck as his body arched into the
relaxing warmth of the water. Mat's fingertips trailed down his body and
once again came in contact with his now hardened nipples. An uncontrolled
groan echoed of the shower walls as he gently pulled and tugged on them.
Mat felt his shoulder blades come in contact with the wall as he hands ran
further down his body. He realized his body arched back so that the water
now ran over his chest. Mat groaned again as he wrapped one hand around
his now hard shaft. His other hand gently tugged on his low hanging balls.
Pleasure roared through his body as he began a slow, gentle rhythm with his
hand. Mat's other hand left his balls and ran back around his hip and over
his ass. His body shuddered as a fingertip ran over his hole. Mat's body
responded to his touch the way an instrument responds to a master musician.
Mat's pace increased as he felt two slick fingers press into him. His hips
began a gentle rocking motion. He groaned loudly as his body thrusted
forward into his hand and backwards onto his fingers. Mat knew he was
quickly approaching the point of no return, and his actions increased their
speed.
Mat felt his balls draw up towards his body and he could feel his orgasm
approaching. A deep growl sounded through the bathroom as Mat's body
exploded in pleasure. It was a good thing Mat was leaning up against the
shower wall; otherwise he would have ended up on the shower's floor.
After Mat recovered he finished washing himself and stepped out of the
stall to dry off. On his way back towards the bedroom he almost fell on
his ass when he slipped on some water that got on the floor.
"Son of a bitch!" Mat exclaimed as he steadied himself.
He continued in the bedroom to get dressed and sighed.
'I'll clean up the water later.' He thought.
Mat pulled on a comfortable pair of black fleece lounge pants with a white
tank top. He went back into the bathroom and fixed his hair. Once he felt
presentable he slid on some sandals and headed for breakfast. He never
noticed that the water was no longer on the bathroom floor.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Mat had an enjoyable breakfast with Kristen. She tried delving into his
mind at his request, but she was clearly frustrated.
"I'm sorry Mat." Kristen said with a large frown. "I can't get any
information at all. I've never had trouble with this before."
"Nothing at all?" Mat said with a sigh. "I was sure that you would have
gotten something."
"You're not understanding what I meant Mat." Kristen reached out and put
her hand on his. "I can't get anything at all. I can't read any thoughts
or emotions from you. Up until yesterday I was able to, but now it feels
like your mind has shut down. It's almost like there is some type of block
up."
There was more than just frustration on Kristen's mind, but she didn't let
it show to Mat. She was confused and very concerned. This was something
that never happened to her. Besides Joe she was one of the most powerful
telepaths living. The fact that she couldn't get anything out of Mat's
mind scared her. Kristen refused to let any emotion but frustration appear
on her face. It was bad enough that Mat saw that. She had to get him to
the classroom for evaluation. That would give them some insight into what
was happening.
'Joe! It's Kristen. Meet me in the reading room as soon as you can. It's
Mat.' Kristen sent out quickly.
Kristen rushed a little bit through the rest of their meal, but Mat didn't
seen to notice. He was too preoccupied with what powers he might have
received. They walked to the 'reading room' in silence. The reading room
wasn't anything like how the name sounded. There were no books or anything
to read in the room. The Institute had successfully created a machine that
was able to 'read' a person and determine their strength and powers. It
took a few years for it to actually work because it had to record data from
some initial testers. After eight years though the machine never made a
mistake. Kristen hoped it would be able to determine what was going on
with Mat.
As they entered the room Kristen was glad to see that Joe was already
there. The other five people that were in the room surprised her. The
other members of the new class weren't supposed to arrive until tomorrow.
Joe must have brought them in early. This would save time in the long run
since everyone could be tested now. The room was completely bare stone.
The only object in the room was a single pedestal. The pedestal is
activated when someone places his or her hand on top of it. After a few
seconds the computer completes the reading and issues the results. The
computer was programmed with a woman's voice, and the reading is given out
loud through hidden speakers in the room.
Mat was definitely intrigued by the five new comers. There was two sets of
twins, a set of boys and a set of girls. Another boy rounded out the group
of five. Mat and Kristen approached the group and Joe provided the
introductions.
"Everyone this is Kristen Samara. She is a co-founder of The Institute and
one of the main teachers at The Manor. She is also one of the most
powerful psi-humans currently alive." Kristen smiled and rolled her eyes
at Joe. "This is Mateo Sanders. He is the sixth and final member of your
class. The identical gentlemen to my right are Gideon and Galen Maresh.
The two ladies present are Gabrielle and Isabella Montague. The unmatched
remaining gentleman is Devlin McGabe."
Mat's eyes gazed at each of them in turn. The Maresh brothers were both
tall, good looking men. The classic surfer guy look, except one had
shoulder length blonde hair and the other was cut short. Their skin was
deeply tanned and it made their crystal blue eyes stand out even more.
He had instantly recognized the Montague sisters. They were on the last
Olympic gymnastic team. They were tall and were definitely mirror images.
They kept their chestnut hair at the same length. It came to about the
middle of their backs. Their green eyes seemed to shine in the darkness of
the room.
Devlin definitely looked the part of a marine. He had his brown hair
shaved in the same fashion, and he had the brick shit house build to him.
His brown eyes looked like pools of chocolate. Mat thought the others
might have been uncomfortable with his scrutiny, but he soon realized that
everyone was doing the same thing.
Joe and Kristen directed everyone to stand around the pedestal. They
explained how the process worked. Everyone nodded his or her agreement,
but Devlin had a question.
"Yes Devlin?" Kristen asked when she saw his raised hand. "You don't have
to raise your hand by the way. Just don't talk over anyone else."
"What exactly will the readings mean?" Devlin asked. His voice was like
smooth velvet for someone his age. "What powers does each level contain?"
"I'll let Joe field this question." Kristen said with a smile. "He's
researched this more and has more information to provide."
"Thanks Kristen." Joe responded. "There are four level or powers total.
People proficient in the first power are called Empaths. Empaths are able
to read other people's emotions and feelings. Powerful Empaths are
actually able to project emotions and feelings onto other people. Those
proficient in the second power are called Telpaths. They have the ability
to read other people's thoughts and are capable of telepathy obviously.
Powerful Telpaths can even possibly control other people's minds. People
proficient in the third power are called Kinetics. They can move objects
with their mind.
Powerful Kinetics have been known to be able to actually teleport objects.
The last power is the most powerful. People proficient in the fourth power
are called Elementals. They have the ability to control the powers of
Mother Nature. Some more powerful elementals can even talk to animals.
One last thing of interest, we've found out that the people are able to
wield more than one power. This is only true though if you are using a
lower level power. For example, an Elemental might able to read minds, but
a Telpath can't make it rain. Any questions?" When none one nodded their
heads he continued. "Ok then. Let's begin. Whose first?"
Devlin stepped up to the pedestal and placed his palm onto the stone
surface. It immediately began to glow with a white light. It only took a
few moments before the light faded and a woman's voice softly echoed
through the room.
"Psi-human Devlin McGabe. Second power. Telpath."
The rest of the group went in rapid succession. Everyone was eager to find
out his or her level. The Maresh brothers were both Kinetics, and the
Montague sisters were both Elementals. As Mat stepped up to the pedestal a
feeling of nervousness overtook him. He looked at the other members of his
calls, and they all nodded in encouragement. He placed his hand against
the pedestal and expected it to feel warm to the touch. Mat surprised
though as he felt the surface turn cold. After a few moments the light
changed from a soft white glow to a brilliant red color. Kristen and Joe
both stepped up to the platform.
"Joe why did it turn red?" Kristen asked with worry in her voice.
"I don't know Kristen. I don't' know." Joe responded to her, but kept his
eyes trained on Mat.
Suddenly the light vanished and for a final time the woman's voice echoed
through the room again.
"Psi-human Mateo Sanders. Fifth power. Mage."
Everyone began talking at once in shock, except for Mat. He suddenly felt
very ill to his stomach, and the room began to pitch and sway. Mat was
barely able to call out telepathically to Kristen before he blacked out.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
That is all for chapter one! I hope you've enjoyed the beginning of this
story. If you enjoy this story please check out my other stories, City Of
Dreams and Center Stage. They can be found under the Adult Friends section
in the Nifty Archive or at my Yahoo! Group
http://www.yahoo.com/groups/GryffindorCorner or you can send me an email at
Gryffindor6698@aol.com Please remember to include something about the story
in the subject line.